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Nattapong Pinta's body was returned to Israel in a special military operation. He came to Israel to work in agriculture. Israel's government said he was seized from Kibbutz Nir Oz and killed early in the war, which began Oct. 7, 2023.

Israel's defense minister said Pinta's body was retrieved from the Rafah area in southern Gaza. The army said he was seized by the Mujahideen Brigades, the small armed group that also took two Israeli-American hostages, Judih Weinstein and Gad Haggai, whose bodies were retrieved Thursday.

Thais were the largest group of foreigners held captive by Hamas militants. Many of the agricultural workers lived on the outskirts of southern Israeli kibbutzim and towns, and Hamas militants overran those places first. A total of 46 Thais have been killed during the war, according to Thailand's foreign ministry.

Separately, Hamas issued an unusual warning about another hostage, Matan Zangauker, saying Israel's military surrounded the area where he's being held and any harm that came to him during a rescue attempt would be Israel's responsibility. Israel's military didn't immediately comment.

Israel says more than half of the 55 hostages that remain in Gaza are dead. Families rallied again Saturday evening in Israel, calling for a ceasefire deal that would bring everyone home.

Israel continues its military offensive

Four Israeli strikes hit the Muwasi area in southern Gaza between Rafah and Khan Younis. In northern Gaza, one strike hit an apartment, killing seven people including a mother and five children. Their bodies were taken to Shifa hospital

"Stand up, my love," one weeping woman said, touching the shrouded bodies.

Another strike in Gaza City killed six members of a family, including two children, according to the Shifa and al-Ahli hospitals.

Israel said that it was responding to Hamas' "barbaric attacks" and dismantling its capabilities. It said it takes all feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.

Reports say some of the dead tried to get food aid

Staff at Nasser hospital, which received the bodies of six people in 24 hours, said they were killed while on their way to get food aid. Much of Gaza's population of more than 2 million relies on aid after widespread destruction of agriculture and markets as well as a recent Israeli blockade. Experts warned of famine.

Israel's army said that despite warnings that the aid distribution area is an active combat zone during nighttime hours, several suspects attempted to approach troops operating in the Tel al-Sultan area overnight "in a manner that posed a threat." The army said that troops called out, but as the suspects continued advancing, they fired warning shots.

An army official who couldn't be publicly identified in line with military procedures said that the shots were fired about a half-mile from the distribution site.

Over the past two weeks, shootings occurred frequently near the new hubs where thousands of desperate Palestinians are being directed to collect food. Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops opened fire, and more than 80 people were killed, according to Gaza hospital officials. Israel's military said it fired warning shots or, in some instances, at individuals approaching troops.

The hubs are run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a new group of mainly American contractors. Israel wants GHF to replace humanitarian groups in Gaza that distribute aid in coordination with the United Nations.

A GHF spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with the group's rules, said it didn't feed Gaza residents Saturday and blamed Hamas threats. There was no immediate Hamas response.

Israel accuses Hamas of siphoning off aid under the U.N.-led system. The U.N. and aid groups deny there's significant diversion of aid to militants and say the new system — which they rejected — allows Israel to use food as a weapon, violates humanitarian principles and won't be effective.

The U.N says it has been unable to distribute much aid under its own system because of Israeli military restrictions on movements and insecurity.

Separately, Palestinians lined up at a soup kitchen in Gaza City for handouts on the second day of Eid al-Adha.

"I have been standing here for more than an hour and a half. I feel I have a sunstroke, and I am in need," said the waiting Farida al-Sayed, who said she had six people to feed. "I only had lentils, and I ran out of them."

Death tolls since the war began

Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages. Most were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages and recovered dozens of bodies.

Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants. The offensive has destroyed large parts of Hamas-run Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population of roughly 2 million Palestinians.